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go below

C1 neutral intransitive
In simple words

To go down the stairs to the inside lower part of a boat or ship.

Literal meaning: To go below (the deck of a ship) — transparent within nautical context.

Meanings

1 C1 neutral

To go down from the deck to the interior lower levels of a ship.

"The captain told the crew to go below as the storm approached."

"Come below and I'll show you your bunk."

— Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island (paraphrased nautical dialogue)
Usage notes

Primarily a nautical term. Outside of sailing or maritime contexts it would be understood simply as going to a lower level but is not normally used. Learners will encounter it in sea fiction and sailing contexts.

Commonly used with

deck cabin sailor crew ship boat

Forms

Base
go below
I/you/we/they
3rd person
goes below
he/she/it
Past simple
went below
yesterday
Past participle
gone below
have + pp
-ing form
going below
continuous

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